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Friday, May 31, 2013

At the beginning of each school year, I start to compile a list of books to read. Most of the books on the list are my students' recommendation, and the others may be books that I read about in a magazine or books that people tell me about.

I love to read the books that my students recommend, because we get to have great discussions about books. Also, they absolutely love when I tell them that I am reading a book that they recommended.

It seems that the more I read, there are even more books to read!

I read just about every book that was on my list, and now I am starting to compile another list of books that I will read.

The world is literally full of books and authors.

Another blogger, Carole, whom I want to call friend because I love her blog so much, does this monthly post where she ask bloggers to post some of their favorite blogs about books. Every time that I go to her Books You Love Post, I am reminded of how many books there are in the world and how many books I have not read yet and how many I really want to read. (Man, I got to get busy!)
When I read Langston Hughes' autobiography, The Big Sea, he stated in that book that "Literature is a Big Sea Full of Many Fish," and I am finding that quote to be absolutely true.

Once I decided that I would write a blog to write about books that I read, I knew that I had to call this blog THE BIG SEA, because I totally agree with Langston: "Literature is Big Sea Full of Many Fish!"

Writing about books has made me fall more and more and more IN LOVE with books and authors, and I just can't get enough.

My people, try something TODAY that you think that you may like such as working out, eating right, reading, and see how the love will grow...

Thursday, May 30, 2013

The ease in which Lois uses language draws the reader into this book from the very first page.

This book, because of his futuristic theme, reminds me of the novels The Hunger Gamesby Suzanne Collins and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card,and the short story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. All three are incredible stories that anyone would enjoy, but especially middle school aged children.

In The Giver, the people live in a society "where nothing was ever unexpected. Or inconvenient. Or unusual. The life without color, pain, or past." As I was reading this book, I was trying to image this world, and I couldn't. A world that is devoid of love, color, choices, feelings, would literally be hell on earth. At first, I thought, it might be good to have little to no uncertainty, but I quickly reminded myself that vulnerability, which we sometimes call uncertainty, helps to build character. And, building character is a darn good thing.

In The Giver, the children are observed and around the age of twelve, they are given a profession that they will do until they are old.

Jonas, the main character, is chosen to a very honored position, but the position requires him to carry the burdens of everyone in the community. (What a huge responsibility!)

This book gave me a lot to think about: the importance of differences, choices, emotions etc.

It's not a very long or difficult text, but it is packed with lots to think about!

Read, Read, Read this quick, splendid book!

My next read is Light in Augustby non-other than the great William Faulkner.

I have a co-worker and friend who loves books as much as I do. When I first started to teach Advanced Placement (AP) English, she and I would get together to plan for the class and have the most lively discussions about books.

She told me about this book that she read with her class titled Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin, and she told me that I would love it.

One day, I was sitting in my classroom, and a student delivered a copy of Eugene Onegin to me with a note that stated to "Enjoy," and I truly enjoyed this book.

Onegin is written in verse which means that the entire novel is written in the form of poetry. The stanza takes the place of the paragraph, and each stanza is written as a sonnet. A sonnet has fourteen lines, and Pushkin uses iambic tetrameter with the unusual end rhyme scheme of AbAbCCddEffEggwhich makes the book read with a lot of rhythm and this helps to make the storyline quite exciting. (Excuse me if you are not following me, but you know that English teachers love this stuff!)

Puskin is the 3rd person narrator of this story, and he is quite delightful. He tells the story to the reader in a manner that made me feel like he and I were in his house, and he was excitingly telling me this fascinating story about someone whom I just might know. At times, Pushkin would say something like:

"Just now though, friends, I feel to tired
To tell you how this meeting went
And what ensued from that event;
I've talked so long that I've required
A little walk, some rest and play;
I'll finish up another day."

(Quite delightful right?)

So, here is how the story goes!

Tatyana falls in love with Onegin, but he does not love her back. Years later, Onegin, just by chance, runs into Tatyana, and now he falls in love with her. However, she admits that she still loves him, but she is married and will remain faithful to her husband......

There is more to this story, but you can see that it is an incredible love story.

Next year, I will definitely be reading this book with my students. What a clever way to get students to understand poetry and its many layers........

Read Eugene Onegin; I think that you will be pleasantly surprised!!!!

Also, if you want to get smarter, this is the type of book that requires higher level thinking, and it helps the reader to get smarter and smarter and smarter!

Saturday, May 25, 2013

One of the things that I really love about the church where I am a member is that fact that my preacher is an intellect. At tonight's service, he spoke to us about making a list of things that are really important to us and for us to make sure that we are good stewards over the things that we value.

Two things that he suggested that should be important to Christians are our Salvation and our Time, and he went on to recite "Just A Minute" by Benjamin E. Mays:

"Just A Minute"

by Benjamin E. Mays, Former Morehouse President

I have only just a minute, only 60 seconds in it,

Forced upon me, can't refuse it.

Didn't seek it, didn't choose it,

But it's up to me to use it.

I must suffer if I lose it,

Give account if I abuse it,

Just a tiny little minute,

But eternity is in it,.

What are you going to do with your minute?

I came home and goggled this great poem, and I fell in love with it, and I had to share it with my readers!

Friday, May 24, 2013

Tuesday was my seniors official last day of high school, and I am extremely excited about them going off to really start their lives....

I really wanted to say something profound or say something that they would remember forever; however, I have been giving them all of the wisdom that I have all year long, so I just hugged them and sent them on.

I really loved and enjoyed my seniors. They are smart, eager to learn, willing to read anything, and always seemed to listen very intensely when I tried to impart wisdom about life to them.

One of the themes that continued to come up this year is a quote from Toni Morrison's novel Song of Solomom about letting go of the s@#$ that is holding us back so that we can fly.

I really hope that quote resonated with them, and I pray that they will continuously work on getting rid of whatever may hold them back from living their best lives: fear, anger, people, self-doubt, the opinion of others, and on and on and on....

It was a bitter-sweet ending, but I have to let them go in order for them and me to fly!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

"If a man does not keep pace withhis companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."Henry David Thoreau

Before I start to talk about this biography titled Steve Jobs, I think that is is very important that I talk about the writer of this book, Walter Isaacson.

Walter Isaacson

Steve Jobs asked Walter Isaacson to write his biography to tell his story to his children. And after reading this book, I know that Jobs only works with people whom he consider to be the very best, and Walter is a gifted storyteller.He tells the story of Steve Jobs in a manner that is completely captivating. I must admit that this quite lengthy book was on my mind quite a bit until I finished it. I spent many nights, while extremely sleepy, trying to read one more page. This biography is quite thought provoking.You know how most people are raised to be nice and respectful, to think about the feelings of others, be assertive but with caution, have empathy, and all of those other good qualities that many of us think helps to make us great people. Well, Steve Jobs was painted in this book as having none of those qualities.He fathered a daughter whom he refused to acknowledge for part of her life; he was at times distance with his two daughters that he later fathered with his wife, Laurene; he was extremely rude to people; would speak whatever was on his mind with no regards to how it would make people feel etc. BUT...He was a genius who realized at an early age that he was much smarter than his adopted father, whom he thought was quite intelligent, and this revelation seemed to cause Jobs to turn into a very cocky, strong-willed guy. Other factors such as being given up by his biological parents seemed to cause Jobs to lack empathy, be self-centered, and really have attachment issues. From reading this book, it appears that he had no one, outside of perhaps his wife and son, Reed, whom he called friend. People respected him, but I am not sure if many called him friend.Steve was extremely gifted and self-assured, and he seemed to go with his gut quite often, and most of the time, that worked for him. He knew that he wanted 1000 songs in his pocket and along came the iPod; he knew that he wanted a cellular phone that was easy to use and did a lot of stuff and along came the iPhone; he wanted to create movies that used digital technology and along came the movie Toy Story and others. He would dream a dream and would make it happen "By Any Means Necessary!"(The man had heart!)

The iphone: a dream that became reality!

You know what else makes this book so intriguing? Jobs' legacy took place during our lifetime. I own some of the products and the key players who help to create Jobs' legacy is breathing the same air as me. Most books that I have read about people who influenced the world, are about people who are long gone. But Jobs' story happened during our lifetime, and we know many of the stories about Apple first hand. (We are living during a great time in history for so many reasons, and I am soooo happy to be here.)The only thing that I felt was left out of his book is how did Jobs' wife, Laurene, lived with a man who was mercurial? Also, I would have love to hear more about what his children thought about him and his impact on their lives.Other than those few things, it seems like Isaacson basically summed up Steve Jobs' life, which happened to be his career, and leaves the reader loving him, and at the same time, wondering about his complexity.I HIGHLY recommend this book!My next read is Eugene Oneginby Alexander Pushkin.I've been doing a lot of reading this month; school must be almost over.......

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

One of my facebook friends posted an article that talked about how The President speaks to Black People.....

When I saw the article, I did not read it, but I felt compelled to read the President's speech in it's entirety. So, I read the President's speech, and I absolutely loved it. My favorite quote from the speech is a Morehouse creed that says “excuses are tools of the incompetent, used to build bridges to nowhere and monuments of nothingness.”

I have seen the President in person several times, and I can not even explain the abundances of pride that I feel when I see this man. Growing older, I cry more than I use to, and every time that I see this man, I have to fight very hard to not go into the ugly cry. The reality of a man, with African blood running in his veins, running the most powerful country in the world, is a bit overwhelming to say the least.

This morning, I was listening to my inspirational music, and I thought about Black President Obama, standing before the many Black Morehouse College men and their families, and I almost went into a sob.

I was imagining the Black parents and grandparents of the graduates who I'm sure were honored to be in the same space with the President and to be able to say that he is one of their own. I thought about how Pridefully those graduates must have felt when their Black President did his famous, I'm cool walk, to offer them final words at Morehouse College. Yea, he has already served one term, but the novelty of President Obama has not worn off for me and a whole lot of other people.

I read that commencement speech, and I was reminded of my President's gift of being able to connect to his audience, and I know that when he delivered that speech, there were tears and smiles, because I know that many people in that audience could connect to it and were pleased with it.

People are entitled to their opinions about the President's speech at Morehouse College, but I loved it, and I want all of my Black nephews and nieces, and cousins, and my unborn children, to read it and be inspired......

Friday, May 17, 2013

I had been feeling some kind of way; however, I have a little more certainty about quite a few things that were on my mind, and I literally feel like Dancing Like David!

Second Samuel 6:12-14

12Now it was told King David, saying, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. 13And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod.

Every time that I think about David dancing before the Lord, I see images in my mind of Michael Jackson doing some of his moves.

Most of the time when I am Dancing Like David, I am in my house, in front of my full length mirror, by myself, listening to a song that I really like, and I am extremely happy.

However, every now and then, that feelingmay come over me with friends or even with my students, and I will start Dancing Like David with no shame whatsoever.
Really, try it sometimes, and see what happens.

I prefer to read digitally where I can quickly look up words that I do not know, highlight passage and go right back to them, write notes, and I can manipulate the font to any sizes that I prefer, but...

Three years ago, one of my students told me about Water for Elephants. I bought it in book form, because I was not reading digitally at that time. However, I found that I could not get into Water for Elephants, and therefore, I did not complete it. However, I taught that same student three years later, and she told me that I really needed to give Water for Elephants another try, and I did. So, this is how I came to read Water for Elephants in old school book form.

This time around I did enjoy Water for Elephants more than I did the first time, but the story is just a story, without a lot to think about. It kept my attention, but I do not feel that I would have been missing something if I had not read it.

This story is told by a 90 something year old man, Jacob, who is currently in a nursing home. Jacob is reminiscing about when he was part of a circus and met and fell in love with his wife, Marlena..

It seems as if Gruen goes through this long story in order to let Jacob and Marlena get together, very dramatically, in the last few chapters. Learning about the life of people who are part of a circus was quite interesting, and Gruen did a great job of character and plot development, but for some reason, this book did not do it for me.

However, I read it for my student who will be graduating from high school in a few weeks, and she is happy that I read it. So, I guess it was worth the read.....

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

My readers, thank you so much for patiently reading while I sort through feeling some kind of way.

I realize that some of my feeling some kind of way has to do with preparations to end this school and start a new year. Yep, we are ending one school year and already making plans for next year.

The students are completely over school by now, and I get it, because I feel the exact same way. But, I continuously remind them and myself that "we don't stop when we get tired; we stop when we are finished."

I've been teaching ninth graders for five years, and it is time to do something different. So, I have made it known, every since around September, that I no longer wanted to teach ninth graders. I am willing to teach any other grade except ninth.

I found out that I would be teaching 10th and AP English 12 next year, and I am both excited and nervous at the same time.

I guess you are asking why excited and nervous?

Well, let me tell you, I am excited, because I love change, but nervous because change, when I do not know the outcome, scares the s@#* out of me. However, that nervousness typically does not stop me from moving forward. Moving forward without knowing the outcome is called faith, and I have a whole lot of that.

I've been teaching AP English 12th for three years, and I am more than good with that, but now instead of one AP class, I will be teaching two: double the work.... I never shy away from work, but I am nervous about all of those essays that I WILL grade. I will use every moment at work wisely, I do that now.... but, I am still a little nervous about the work load.

I have not taught 10th grade in the district where I currently teach EVER. I will need to read many, many, many novels this summer to determine which ones I will teach to my students, and I will also need to figure out what is important in the novels and think of strategies to convey the importance to my students. I'm excited but also nervous.

To be honest, I have gotten very comfortable in my current situation at my school, and who does not like being comfortable? But, sometimes, we must make a change in order to grow.

Next school year is also the year where I will have formal observations to make sure that I am still an awesome teacher, and I know that I will be great, but I am still a little nervous about teaching a new grade and getting evaluated. I will have to continuously tell myself, throughout the year, that I am a good teacher. (Yep, sometimes I still have self doubt about teaching, and I must replace the negative thoughts with positive thoughts!)

Now that I am getting to the root of feeling some kind of way, I sure am feeling better.

Monday, May 13, 2013

I can't put it into words, but it is a feeling where I can not focus on one thing for long, and I have found it very difficult to settle down enough to write. This is so unlike me, because I love to write!

One of my friends got a not so good diagnosis from her doctor, and that left me feeling some kind of way. I started to feel a little guilty for being healthy and happy when a really wonderful person is going through something that is quite life altering. I've had to remind myself that "There is nothing to hard for God."

A few other things that are not so good have transpired with other people whom I care deeply about, and this has left me feeling some kind of way..... BUT GOD!!!

Life is good, but it is unpredictable for sure; which makes it extremely exciting and scary at the same time.

Speaking of unpredictable, last week my seniors took their AP English exam, and one of the questions on the exam asked them to write about a story that is an example of a Bildungsroman. "A Bildungsroman is a novel that tells of a spiritual, moral, psychological, or social development of the protagonist either from childhood to maturity or as the result of an extraordinary experience."

Well, we spent quite a bit of time talking about Bildungsroman when we read the novel Life of Pi, because Life of Pi is an example of a Bildungsorman. So, Bildungsroman being on the AP exam helped to lift my spirits, and I hope that the students took advantage of this question that they should have been able to write pages and pages about. What a pleasant surprise!

Saturday and Sunday, I saw the documentary on Venus and Serena, tennis' greatest, and it was awesome. (Yep, I saw it Saturday and Sunday!) Those ladies are committed, and they work their a#@ off. Workout, play tennis, workout, play tennis, and get stronger and stronger and stronger, and WIN, WIN, WIN.... I will never ever complain about one hour of working out EVER again, not that I complain anyway. But, this documentary is confirmation to not complain about one tough hour of working out when according to Venus and Serena's training, I can really do a WHOLE lot more.

Also, the documentary showed how much those sisters love each other.... It was stated that they need each other in order for them to be individually great. (People need other people!)

Mom

Being that Sunday was Mother's Day, I thought about my mother and all of the sacrifices that she made to make sure that my sisters and I had the kind of life that many people only dream about. Saturday at church, my preacher talked about the sacrifices of mothers: not being able to hang out with friends as much, not buying herself a pair of shoes to make sure that her children have shoes, giving up some of her wants to make sure that her children have ALL that they need......And, I thought about the sacrifices that it takes to raise nine children! (WORK, WORK, WORK!!!) I really hope that the sacrifice was worth it for her. I know that I deeply appreciate the sacrifice, and I will move mountains for my momma.

I have a few friends who lost their mothers' recently, and I thought about them a lot and reached out to reassure them that "Everything is going to be alright."

I am not necessary unhappy, because I am soooo thankful for the life that I live, but I am in a space that it is difficult to describe.......

Today, I am still feeling some kind of way, but I guess this is my season of some kind of way!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

If someone tells me that he/she reads something by Eric Jerome Dickey, for instance, I instantly turn my nose up and think "Really!"

However, if a person tells me that he/she love books by Zora Neale Hurston, Jonathan Franzen, J. California Copper, then I am ready to eagerly engage that person.

I know, I know, I know, but I do acknowledge that I am "a work in progress."

So, I have seen E L James on television numerous times, and many, many, many friends have told me about this book, but I thought "Why would I spend my time reading trash?"

However, when one of my guy friends told me that he learned about communication from Fifty Shades of Grey, I knew that I had to give it a try. You know that I could not pass on a book that just might teach me something.

So, I downloaded and eagerly read Fifty Shades of Grey.
Let me say:

I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK.READ. THIS. BOOK.

Yep, I owe a lot of people an apology........

However, I am thankful that I DO have an open mind and is willing to try almost anything once.

I am grateful that I read this book, and I know that you will be too.

Get it today, and begin the journey.

If you have already read it, please forgive me for incorrectly judging you!

Soooooo, my next read is Water for Elephantsby Sara Gruen. Why don't you join me, and try not to judge me? (People like what they like!)

Friday, May 3, 2013

This book, Daring Greatly, showed up exactly when I needed it, and I am so grateful for Brene Brown for doing the research, writing this book, and sharing it with us.

I just finished it, and my heart, soul, body, are all sooooo happy.

I'm trying to find the words to sum up this book, and I want to be careful with the words that I use, because this book and its message really need to be handled with care.

Vulnerability.

How many people like being vulnerable. Telling someone that you love him/her when you do not what the outcome will be, admitting publicly that you do not know the answer to a question that you should know, telling someone NO. Well, this book deals with vulnerability, and Brene does a great job of relaying the message that being vulnerable gives us the courage to live our best lives.

I've been dealing with vulnerability a whole lot lately, and this book has given me the courage to Dare Greatly.

Connection.
If you read this blog a little or a lot, you have read the statement "People Need Other People," and I believe this with my whole heart.

Brene states that "we are hardwired to connect to others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering."

I need my connections with people and not just surface connection. I need deep connections that help me to live a better life. Connections where I can be my authentic self and let it all hang out. I have given up being perfect and giving up 'perfect' has helped me to have deeper connections with people.

But what I know for sure is that:

I really appreciate Brene for doing the research that proves that "people need other people."

Not sure what category to put this final thought into, but Brene asks the question "Are you the adult that you want your child to grow up to be?"

When I read this question in this book, this really made me think... No, I am not a parent, but I work with people's children every day, and I consciously try and live the life that I talk to my children about: freedom, responsibly, being true to myself, letting go of the s@#* that weighs me down, seizing the day, right now is the best part of my life, dare to be great or different, doing what you love with complete passion......

I don't want my students to say that my teacher told me these things, but her life is not reflecting that.

I constantly ask myself: "Is my life reflecting my beliefs?"

I really hope so, and not just for me, but for all of the people whom I may touch throughout this life.

This book spoke to my heart, showed up right when I needed it, and confirmed that I need to make sure that I show up, be present, and be me.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

I must shamefully admit that I have been reading Age of Innocence for quite awhile. I actually like the story and the writing, but "life has been happening," and I have found myself extremely exhausted by 7 or 8 o'clock, and I have given into that tiredness, and therefore, I have not been reading at night.

I have been doing "a bunch of a lot of stuff in April," and I am loving life right now.......

But, my dear readers, do not think for one moment that I have all together neglected reading; I would NEVER do that, but I have been squeezing reading in between working on my portfolio for my state evaluation, biking, traveling a little, doing these exercises that put my muscles in a constant state of fatigue, hanging out with friends, convincing seniors that we are not done yet, and successfully pulling freshmen through The Odyssey. But, last night, while I was tired to the bones, I finished Age of Innocence. (Woo Hoo!)

Age of Innocence is set in upper class New York in the 1870's. Edith portrays the people of that time as people who were constantly doing "the right thing." The men and women seem to not have mental freedom and basically followed the rules of society.

Newland Archer marries May Welland who is unable to think on her own and is conditioned to think and do as expected. However, Archer falls in love with May's cousin, Madame Olenska, who is a more free spirit and does not follow society's norms and does whatever she wants to. However, May becomes pregnant and Newland Archer stays with her, they have three children, they live a life that is not to bad and is quite tolerable, but not quite "free" from society's pressures.

Through the children of Newland and May, Edith showed that the New York society was changing, because their children did not give into society's pressures and made decisions where they appeared to be more "free thinking."

This book caused me to think about a quote by Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Go and live the life that you really want to live..........

It took me a loooooong time to finish this book, but I am happy that I did.

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About Me

I absolutely love books. I am devoting this page mainly to write about books and authors. After years and years of reading great books, I am ready to dialogue with the world about books. Like Langston Hughes, I know that "Literature is a Big Sea Full of Many Fish."